please empty your brain below
Your last sentence says it all. Hopefully some will bear it in mind before playing the uninvited pedant in the future. Thanks for a very enjoyable and engaging exercise.

Waterhouse | 07.09.16 - 7:05 a.m. | #

@Waterhouse
If it gets too tough for DG, he can turn off the commenting functionality.

shirokazan | 07.09.16 - 7:20 a.m. | #

Rest assured I won't be doing that.

diamond geezer | Homepage | 07.09.16 - 7:24 a.m. | #

Nice experiment. Next time, try making a mistake on the puzzle section of a national newspaper. You get an early flurry of irate callers, tailing off until lunchtime when they perk up again. Then things calm down slowly until 3.10pm when they stop completely, only to restart with renewed vigour at 4pm when Countdown has finished.

GJ | 07.09.16 - 7:47 a.m. | #

Mein Beitrag war nicht Kauderwelsch . Ich widerlegen diese Behauptung . Die Busse . Ost London. Für immer.

Berthold | 07.09.16 - 8:11 a.m. | #

I didn't even attempt to try the final paragraph as I knew there was no way I could manage anything close to your style.

Congratulations to Joachim in particular - that really does read like it could have come straight from DG's keyboard.

lockedintheattic | 07.09.16 - 8:34 a.m. | #

What are Joachim's other hobbies? ???

Antipodean | 07.09.16 - 8:43 a.m. | #

As I said yesterday, this exercise really hit home as to how difficult it is and what an excellent blogger you are.

To adapt an old adage, those who can - do, and those who can't should butt out!

Cornish Cockney | 07.09.16 - 9:11 a.m. | #

As Engels is niet mijn eerste taal, Ik had gisteren post een pass

Michael | 07.09.16 - 9:14 a.m. | #

I really do appreciate your blog DG, the quality, the variety, the quantity ... I think you know how good it is but you wouldn't be human if you didn't appreciate some praise

I do nitpick occasionally, but please don't take it negatively ... the fact I'm here every day reading and enjoying should tell you something

Caz | 07.09.16 - 10:27 a.m. | #

Joachim is a worthy victor. I am not worthy.

Dominic H | 07.09.16 - 10:36 a.m. | #

You've been too hard on yourself, DG, you should have given yourself a big pat on the back. Your challenge brought about a very positive response that shows once again your readers' high level of engagement. It also confirms that your efforts are much appreciated and that it's worth getting things right.

Another pat on the back for DG's readers. The comments are of much higher quality than on most sites where they often descend into 'intra commentariat' personal abuse, e.g. the Evening Standard / Indy. The Telegraph's comments were so poor that they were switched off permanently.

There's always the odd predictable troll on any site, indeed it would almost be a sign of failure if you didn't attract at least one. However, I for one have no interest in picking you apart or being patronising - apologies if it ever comes across that way !

Gerry | 07.09.16 - 10:56 a.m. | #

Thanks for the comment. I knew my bit was short on word count but midday came around, which at the time seemed a firm deadline. If there was more, it might've been about Winter Wonderland; the WNBR (a difficult subject in that the motivation for it leaves me completely blank); or maybe an episode of 'Lost Meets Bake Off' where contestants can only cook with ingredients picked - or caught - within the park.
Thanks for an interesting and entertaining post

RogerW | 07.09.16 - 11:10 a.m. | #

GJ is right about mistakes contained in newspaper puzzles. It's one of the biggest crimes in Fleet Street (where I used to work).
One time during the 70s The Daily Mirror actually forgot to put in the crossword puzzle and that was that, the switchboard crashed along with all contact with outside world.
Er, back on topic, I didn't take part in your test it was too poacher turned gamekeeperish. Fun though!

Chris | 07.09.16 - 11:39 a.m. | #

A propos Roger's paragraph, I found it amusing that yesterday was also the day that two joggers were surprised by Prince Charles:

https://twitter.com/britishroyals/status/773233615396151296

but that was in Green park, so perhaps it doesn't count?

martin | 07.09.16 - 11:39 a.m. | #

OMG! Really!? I had no idea, honest!

RogerW | 07.09.16 - 11:46 a.m. | #

Actually, all of this about Hyde Park reminds me of a walk with my then girlfriend, when we were passed by a number of horse riders, just some of the many who ride there. I expressed some curiosity about how they got there and where they went afterwards, but the only reply was that it was a stupid question.
Later we crossed over Bayswater Road and - quite by chance - found ourselves walking past the riding stables in Bathurst Mews.

RogerW | 07.09.16 - 12:04 p.m. | #

I don't know whether to be embarrassed or flattered by the soubriquet of DG's "most tenacious daily reviewer". Most of yesterday's comments were made in the spirit of "spot the deliberate mistakes", which I hope was the spirit in which they were intended to be taken.

And I learned a lot about Hyde Park I would never have discovered otherwise.

Suffice to say that it's your Blog, DG, and you can do what you like, including deleting any comments you don't like (even this one!). As you say, no-one is compelled to read it. The fact that so many do so, (and that so few even attempted to complete your article), is a tribute to your writing skills.

timbo | 07.09.16 - 1:22 p.m. | #

Never mind about the writing...there should been more pictures/photos! Maybe next time readers can be asked to submit those also? Would that even be possible? Be great for those of us whom perhaps not great on grammar/facts/spelling etc...have a chance to contribute; other than making comments of course.

Grumpy Anon | 07.09.16 - 2:32 p.m. | #

@ Timbo

Great post, completely agree with everything you said. However, you're innocent - I'm the culprit.

Mea culpa...

You're merely the 'Regular Critic' who chipped in with a dozen.

Gerry | 07.09.16 - 2:58 p.m. | #

@Gerry
I make it 19 each, so perhaps we should share any kudos, or opprobrium, due.

timbo | 07.09.16 - 4:22 p.m. | #

(sigh)

diamond geezer | Homepage | 07.09.16 - 4:32 p.m. | #

Which ones Statler and which ones Waldorf?

| 07.09.16 - 6:42 p.m. | #

Please, to me, being foreigner, this language of English is very much too difficult. For that cause I abstain from comment.

Leuconoe | 07.09.16 - 7:13 p.m. | #

Why the (sigh) DG? You really only have yourself to blame

E | 07.09.16 - 9:01 p.m. | #

(ad infinitum sigh)

shirokazan | 07.09.16 - 10:03 p.m. | #

Re: Joachim's post, 15 or so years ago I worked in the Park Lane underground car park selling tradesmen's permits. In one corner was a big door, a colleague was convinced it was an entrance to an underground tunnel that led to Buckingham Palace. Didn't believe him. Later, when I worked in City Hall I found in someone's drawer a fascinating album of photos of the car park being built in the late 50s. No tunnel to be seen though.

SJM | 07.09.16 - 10:26 p.m. | #

@ SJM

If the car-park was built around the late 50s...said door could perhaps been for some kind of (post WW2/pre-cold-war) bunker?

Ed | 08.09.16 - 10:42 a.m. | #

Nothing to pick, you get a big tick. An amusing interlude. Just keep up your own good work.

Sally | 08.09.16 - 10:12 p.m. | #











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